Printing-press.



B. F. UPHAM.

PRINTING PRESS.

APPLICATION FILED Mmm, 1911.

Patented Feb. 6, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 auml 1?. HIAM, or EvANsToN, ILLINOIS.

PRINTING-Piense.

To all t may concern:

Be it known that I, BUn'r F. UPHAM, of Evanston, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and` 4 5 useful Improvements in Printing-Presses;

. and hereby declare that the following 1s a full, clear, and exact description thereof,-

refrence being had -to the'accompanying' drawings, which -orm part of this specifica- .10 tion. l

This invention 'is an improvement in ro- 'tary sheet-printing presses and it consists in the novel combination of parts in such press,

15 said parts; all of which will be hereinafter clearly described in 'detail wit-h reference to the drawings and summarized in the claims following such description.

The principal ob] ect of the invention is'to provide a rotary cylinder press having one printing couple capable of printing two sheets at each rotation of the impression cylinder; also capable of printingall sizes of sheets up to the maximum size of plate or form that the plate cylinder can carry; and also capable of alternatelyqprinting sheets of different size-and all at a speed limited only by the speed at which the .sheets can be fed. B0 Another object is to provide a press that may be fed from a plurality of tables, and

preferably by automatic feeders which are adapted to feed sheets to the grippers of the.

related impression surfaces on the impression cylinder. i

Another object is to provide such a press with a delivery apparatus whereby sheets fed from diderent feeder tables may be delivered separately, upon different receiving tables; in other Words, so. that sheets fed from one feed table may -bfe printed and dey livered on one receiving table; and sheets fed from another feed table may be printed and delivered on another receiving table. Also to enable the sheets fed from both feeders to be delivered together on one re ceiving table. Also to enable slip sheets to be used if desired', which slip sheets can be fed from one feeder and may berdelivered with the printed sheets fed from the other feeder on` either table.

Another object is to provide such-press switha double' tape delivery, lwhereby the sheets may be conveniently delivered, separately, or togetheigbr with slip-sheets, as

Speccation of Letters Patent.

Application 'lled March 3, 1911.

and the novel construction and operation of f Patented Feb. 6,1912. seriaiNo. 612,138. .Q

above stated. The printed sheets are deliv ered' on the tables prin-ted side up.

My said press requires but one impression cylinder, one form cylinder, and one linking Imechanism; but, in -the preferred form, it

has two separate *feed tables preferably equipped with automatic feeders, and when fed thereby at the rate of 3000 sheets Veach per hour, which is a' ractlcal speed, the press will print and oliver 6000 printed l sheets per hour; although the surface s eed v o f the Impression cylinder will be only aboutI I one-half that oftheimpression cylinder on a bed cylinder press, inwhich the cylinder must make two revolutions for each sheet e printed. `The reduction of the surface speed of the cylinder in my press facilitates and insures accurate register; and when my press is printing 6000 sheets per hour the surface speed of the printing cylinders, the closing of the grippers and the peripheral speed of the ink rolls and-the speed of de-A vlivery of the printed sheets will be no more rapid than corresponding parts in a bed and 'cylinder press of like size when printing 8Ol about 1700 sheets per hour. I

My press may also be used as a perfec`ting press by returning the sheets through" the press, sothey will be backed by separate y forms on the plateor form cylinder at suc-" vcessive operations. `And two diHerent sized f sheets may be printed from dierent forms; or the same size sheets may be printed by duplicate forms on one side.

I will now describe the invention with reference to the accompanying drawingsin whichv Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of a complete printing press embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged sideele- 95 vvation thereof showing the throw-0H mechanism and tripping devices.

In the drawi gs' l designates the plate cylinder and v2 the'impression cylinder coacting therewith, the plate cylinder in this 10o instance being mounted above the axis `of the impression cylinder `and to one side thereof. The plate cylinder is adapted to carry two or more diametrically opposed forms or sets of forms, and, therefore has two diametrical surfaces la, lb to which plates may be attached. The impression cylinder similarly has two diametrically op` posed impression surfaces 2", 2P respectively adapted to co-act with the printing plates on- 11j0 1 :agi

' may be printed from separate plates or forms, which plates may be duplicates, or different, and of same orfdifferent size. Of course groups of small plates could be attached to either or both of the surfaces la, I"V

and impressions' taken'simultaneously from such groups, or a sheet or sheets presented bythe opposed impression surfaces 2a or 2bg-this mode of grouping forms being well known in the art.

The cylinder 2 is provided with sets of gripping mechanism of usual construction indicated at 2, 2d; the grippers. 2c being adapted to only take sheets fed from feed table 3b at the point 3C; while the grippers 2cl farev adapted to only take sheets from the grippers 3f at the points 3d of a transfer reel 3, to which the sheets are supplied from atablea by means of tapes 3g running over suitable rollers, indicated in the drawings.

' vices Ofany suitable kind, well known in Sheets are 'delivered from the table 3b tothe point 3 by means of tapes 3, as indicated in the drawings.

It will be observed thatthe reel 3e is adapted to deliver sheets fed` from table 3 to the surface 2a of cylinder 2 at a point below and in advance of the point 3; but the parts are so arranged and timed that the sheets fed from table 3b .will be taken only by the grippers 2c of the impression cylinder, while the sheets fed from table 3 will be taken only by the grippers 2d of the impression cylinder; so that sheets from table 3 will be presented only to the plates -on surface. 1l of the plate cylinder, and the sheets fed from table'a will he presented only to the plates on surface la of the impression cylinder.

y 'I-he sheets are taken from the impression .cylinder 2 at the point et* by means of grippersl 4a on a transfer cylinder 4, which is geared-to..rotate with the cylinder 2,- and thegrippers 4.a aresoV arranged and timed that they,will take the sheets alternately from'both sets of grippers .2c and 2d, at the pointe?. In other words the transfer cylinder twill take all the sheets from both grippers 2c and grippers 2d at the point 4*. 'Ihe cylinders delivers the sheets in turn to a. delivery cylinder 4b, which may be pro'- vided with sheet taking and collecting de- `theart, and which may be readily adapted to deliver the sheets separately or together'.

As shown in Figs. l and 2, two sets of stripping fingers 5, 5b are located adjacent the upper farther side of the deliverycylinder a, and usual mechanism is provided whereby if.` desired the strippers v5a are caused to take the sheets fed from the table 3 and direct .them to one delivery, and the strippers 5b are caused to take the sheets fed from table 3b and direct them to another delivery. The strippers 5 are adapted to deliver sheets into a delivery apparatus 6; and the strippers 5 deliver sheets to a delivery apparatus 6l. Each delivery apparatus preferably consists of pairs of endless tapes arranged at each side of the path4 of the sheet and adapted to grasp the sheet by its side margins as it comes from cylinder i, and suspend such sheet and'carry it out over the receiving table to the point of dropping, and there`the tapes are caused to release the sheet and let it fall upon the receiving table. Tape deliveries ofthis type are-especially well adapted for use on this machine, but are not claimed herein. As stated the tape delivery 6 is adapted to receive .the sheets A fed from table 3, and will carry them forward to and over the receiving table A and deposit .them

designed to receive sheets B fed from table 3b and carry them above the delivery 6 and over table A and deposit them upon the table B. Thus sheets A can be delivered on table A and the sheets B upon table B. If it is desired however one of. the strippers can be thrown out of operation, and the other set so-that both sheets A and B will be delivered upon the same table. If, for example, the stripper 5fL is thrown out of oy eration, then both sheets A and B will e delivered upon table B. vIf stripper 5* is thrown out of operation both sheets A, B, will be delivered on table.A. As above `stated the sheets on one table might be slip sheets and then only the sheets on the other table would be printed; but the printed sheet and slip sheet could be delivered .together upon either table A or B. If the sheets from both feed tables. are to be dellivered upon one receiving table I preferably provide cylinder 4b with collecting devices of the well known type, and adjust same to collect a sheet from tableb and a sheet from table 3a, and then dischafrge themA together into either delivery f'nr 6", so that both sheets will be delivered simultaneously upon ither table A, or B', desired. I have not deemed it necessary to show such collecting devices in detail'in cylinder 4b, as they are well known in the art; and so are the means for driving the several cylinders and the construction of the tape deliveries, so that any one familiar with rotary printing presses will readil understand how to construct and use suoi parts. I moreover do not wish to be restricted to the use of endless tape marginal delivery apparatus, although Iprefer them.

The sheets maybe fed from tables 3, 3b by hand, but I preferably employ uto .indicated in the drawings. The particular inking mechanism indicated in the draw- 'ings is not claimed herein, but I do not consider the present invention limited to any particular ,inking mechanism.

It will be seen that the cylinder 1 can easily be plated by the pressman standing upon a platform 8 which extends across the i press at the side of the plate cylinders above the delivery mechanism. The cylinder 2 can be readily packed or made-ready by the.

pressman sitting beneath the rcel 3@ at the side of the cylinder below the feed tables` litnis not necessary in order to make readyA the press to remove the feed tables or open up any parts or part of the press The impression cylinder is accessible for makeready without lifting the feed' tables or .opening any part or/ parts of the press.' rIhc printing forms or plates on the form cylinder are also accessible Without opening or removing any parts of the press. rlfhe feed tables arelocated one above the other so that the two require no more tioorspace than one. The lower feeding board or fceding machine can be supplied with paper by an attendant while standing on the Hoor, or at thc most by mounting not more than one step; WhileI the upper feeding board or feeding machine is practically no higher than those attached to the ordinary flat bed and cylinder presses. The inking mechanism being located at the highest point of the press, the ink used and the inking mecha-l nism will be kept warm and at more uniform temperature than ifV at the floor, owing to the fact that the temperature in a room is warmer in the upper part. The delivery mechanism and feeding tables being at opposite ends of the press, enables the pressman to carefully watch and attend to all the printed sheets, as they are delivered printed side up; while hisassistant can attend to the feed end of the press.

The press requires about the same floor space as a flat, bed and cylinder press printing a sheet of like size; but my press will produce from ltwo to four times the 'out-put of a flat bed press. ln the press as actually constructed. I provide automatic tripping mechanism whereby the impression is thrown ofi' in case a sheet is improperly fed to either impression surface 2", 2a, or not fed from either feed table. This tripping mechanism forms rffrom printing'such sheets.

the subject-matter of my application Serial No. 550,068 f iled March' 17, 1910, and I refer thereto for a. full and complete description thereof.

Located on each feed table adjacent th.\e\

point where the cylinder grippers take hold of a sheet are detector fingers 9 which are mediately connected to a rock shaft"'9a, by devices not shown, and are adapted in case a sheet of paperfails to be proprlrly presented to the cylinder grippers, (by means of devices not shown) to cause the rocking of lever Qb-hiing on shaft 9%. The

lever 9b onthe upper shaft 9a is conneeted by a rodd)c to a rocking lever 91 which is pivoted on the frame and in turn is connected by a rod 9 to aV leverv9f, pivoted on the frame and connected by a. do 9g to a dog 9h on a lever 9* that is pivoted eside an oscillating lever 9j that is continuously oscil- '85 lated by a cam 9k, all as full described in my application No. 550,068 a 'oresaidg lever 9i is also ctinnected by a link 9l to a lever 2* thatA operates the throw olf cam 2m that moves cylinder 2 on or ott impression. Thel lever 9b'on the lower rock shaft 9 is connected by a rod 9m to lever 9dalso, so that 'if the detectors 9 on either table find a misplaced sheet., the dog 9h is caused to engage l lever 9j and consequently the cylinder 2 is thrown ott' impression'duringthe time that such sheet should have been printechas described in my aforesaid application. By this mechanism the impression cylinder 2 is thrown olfin'ipression only for that part of its revolution necessary to prevent printing a non-fed, vor improperlyfed, sheet; but it is thrown on inipression in time to cause the printing of a sheet properly fed from the other table, so the press is not prevented The operator does not have to stop the press while lie is rc-adjusting or removing the improperly fed sheet, and as soon as such sheet is properly adjusted, or as soon as a new sheet isl properly fed in place thereof, the cylinder is automatically thrown,onimpression for that part of its rotation neccssaryftoprint 'to feed sheets tothe impression cylinder,

the latter is moved away from the plate cylinder during the time that such sheet should have been printed; thus preventing printing on. the packing 4or impression surface; but the in'ipressitm cylinder "an continue to print the properly fed sheets from the* other table. The tripping of the cylinder for the two impression surfaces is independent` so that either surface may continue its printing operations While the other 1s trlpped.

Thus it is not necessary to stop the press to prevent printingon the packing if either feeder fails to feed a sheet properly. The said tripping mechanism is fully shown and described in my application 550,068 aforer said and needs no further explanation herebeside and .below the axis of the plate cyllat inder and having a plurality of impression surfaces each adapted to co-act with one related printing surface on the plate-cylinder, a plurality of feed tables each adapted -to deliver sheets to one 'related impression surface of the impression cylinder; a transfer cylinder 'adapted to take all the sheets from the impression cylinder, a delivery cylinder adapted to take all the sheets from the transfer cylinder, two receiving tables, and delivery mechanism whereby'the sheets fed from the separate tables may be delivered to separate receiving tables.

2. A rotary sheet printing press comprising av plate cylinder having diametrically opposed printing surfaces, an impression cylinder beside and below the axis of the plate 'cylinder and having diametrically opposed impression surfaces respectively adapted to co-act with a related printing surface on the plate cylinder; two feed tables respectively adapted to deliver sheets to the related impression surface of the impression cylinder, a transfer cylinder adapted to take all the sheets from the impression cylinder, a delivery cylinder adapted to take all the sheets from Ytlie transfer cylinder, two receiving tables,j and mechanism whereby alternate sheets may be transferred fromv th'e delivery cylindei to,y different receiving tables.

3. In a rotary sheet printing press, a plate cylinder having a plurality of printing surfaces, an impression cylinder beside and bel low t-he axis of the plate cylinder and havin@ a luralit of im ression surfaces each adapted to co-act with a related printing surface on theplate cylinder; a plurality of feed tables respectively adapted to deliver sheets to the related impression surface of the impression cylinder a collecting cylinder below and to one side of the axis of the plate cylinder, -means for transferring all the sheets from the impression cylinder to the collecting cylinder, a plurality of delivery mechanisms adapted to deliver sheets on separate tables, and means whereby the sheets may be direct-ed from the eollecting cylinder to the same table or to separate tables. 'I

4. In a rotary sheet printing press, cylinder having diametrically opposed printing surfaces, an impressiony cylinder beside and below the axis o f the plate cylinder having diametrically ooposed impression surfaces respectively a apted to co-act with a related printing surface on the )late cylinder; two feed tables respectively a apted to deliver sheets to a related impression surface of the impression cylinder; a collecting cylinder below and to one side of the axis of the plate cylinder, means for a plate transferring all the sheets from the impression cylinder to the collectin cylinder, a pair of delivery mechanisms a apted to deliver sheets on separate tables, and means whereby successive sheets may be directed from the collecting cylinder to separate tables, orwhereby the sheets may be collected and directed to one table.

5. A rotary sheet printing press comprising a plate cylinder having diametrically opposed printing surfaces, an impression cylinder beside and below the axis of the plate cylinder and having diametrieally opposed impression surfaces respectively adapted to co-act with a related printing surface onthe vplate cylinder; two automatic feed tables respectively adapted to deliver sheets to the related impression surv face of the impression cylinder a transfer cylinder adapted to take all the sheets from the impression cylinder, a delivery cylinder adapted to take all the sheets from the transfer cylinder, two receiving tables, and mechanism whereby alternate sheets may be transferred from the delivery cylinder to different receiving tables, or all the vsheets may be delivered to one table. Y

.6.- A rotary all size sheet printing press, comprising a plate cylinder having a plurality of printing surfaces, an inking mechanism above the plate cylinder coperating with the forms thereon, an impression cylinder below and to one side of the axis of t-he plate `cylinder, having a plurality of impression surfaces respectively co-acting with related printing surfaces on the plate cylinder; a plurality of feed tables at one side of the impression cylinder respectively delivering sheets to the related impression surfaces of the impression cylinder; with a transfer cylinder adapted to take all the sheets from the impression cylinder; a delivery cylinder adapted to take all the sheets from t-he transfer cylinder, a plurality of delivery tables, and delivery mechanism whereby vthe sheets fed from separate tables may be transferred from the delivery cylinder to separate delivery tables, or all the sheets may'l loe-delivered to one table.

7. A rotary all size sheet printing press comprising a'plate cylinder having 'two dia metrically opposed printing surfaces, an impression cylinder below and to one side of the aXis of the plate cylinder, having two diametrically opposed impression'srfaces, each coacting with its related printing surface on the late. cylinder; a pair of automatic feed tab es at one side of the impression cylinder, onel of said t` bles feeding sheets to one impression surface of the impression cylinder, and the otherfof said tables feeding sheets to the other impression surface of-said impression cylinder; a collecting cylinder below and to one side of the plate cylinder, means for vtransferring all the sheets from the impression cylinder to lthecollecting cylinder, a pair of delivery mechanisms adapted to deliver 'sheets on separate tables, and means whereby successive sheets may be directed from the collecting cylinder to the separate deliveries, or whereby collected sheets may be directed from the collecting cylinder to one delivery. y n

8. In a rotary all size sheet printing press,

the combination of a plate cylinder having two diametrically opposed printing surfaces,

an inking mechanism coperating with forms thereon, an impression cylinder below and to one side of the axis of the plate cylinder, having two diametrically opposed impression surfaces each co-acting with but one related printing` surface on the plate cylinder; a pair of automatic sheet feeding devices at one yside of the impression' cylinder, one of said devices feeding sheets to one impression surface. of the impression. cylinder, and the othei of said devices feeding sheets to the other-impression surface of said impression cylinder; -with a transfer' cylinder-adapted to take all the sheets from the impression cylinder; a delivery cylinder 4 adapted to take all the sheets from the transfer cylinder, two delivery tables, and delivery mechanism wherebyalternate sheets may be delivered to separate delivery tables, or all the sheets may be delivered to one table.

9. In a rotary all size sheet printing press,

the combination of a plate/,cylinder having two diametrically opposed printing surfaces, anv inking mechanism above the plate cylinder coperating with both the printing surfaces; an impression Cylinder below and to' one side of the axis of the. plate cylinder and having two diameti'ically opposed im Aression surfaces each co-acting with its re` ated printing surface on the plate cylinder; p ir of automat-ic feed devices at' one side at ille impression cylinder, one-of said devices feeding'fsheets to one impression sur face 'of the impression -cylinder, and the other f said devices feeding sheets to the other impression surface of said impression cylinder; with a collecting cylinderA below and to one side ofthe plate cylinder, a transfer cylinder for transferring all the sheets from the impression cylinder to the collect ing cylinder; two delivery mechanisms adapted to deliver sheets on separate tables, and meansfor directing successive sheets from the collecting cylinder to separate deliveries, or whereby collectedsheets may be directed from the collecting cylinder to one delivery.

10. A rotary sheet printing press com prising a plate cylinder having pposed print-ing surfaces, animpression cylinder" beside the plate cylinder having opposed impression surfacevrespectively adaptedto coact with the related printing surface on the plate cylinderclwii feed tables respectively adapted to deliver sheets tothe relatedimpression surface of the impression cylinder;

two lreceiving tables and mechanism where,

.cylinder having opposed' impression surfaces respectively adapted to co-act with a related printing surface of the plate cylinder; two feed'tables respectively .adapted to deliver sheets to a related impression surface of-tlre impression cylinder; a, pair of ldelivery mechanisms adapted to deliver theprinted sheets on 4separate tables, and means whereby successive sheets may be'l directed from the impression cylinder to said separate tables, or whereby the sheetsmay'be di rected to one table.; with means for throw;t

l'ing the imprcr'sinfeylinder on and'oif impression, and devices on each feed table whereby if a sheet is improperly fed thereon the throwotf mechanism is'tripped and opioo crates to throw the impression cylinder off impression during -the time that such sheet should have been printed and is then thrown on impression in time to print propeilyfed sheets, substantially as describedl 12. A rot-ary sheet print-ing'press cdmf prising a pla'te cylinder having opposed printing surfaces, an impression cylinder 'beside the plate cylinder and having opposed -impression Vsurfaces respectively adapted to c'oact with a related printing surface on the platl cylinder; two feed tables respectively adapted t/odeliver4 sheets to the related impress'on surface of the` impression cylinder, medhanism for throwing 'the impression cylinder on and ofi? impression, and devices on each Jfeed table whereby if a sheet is improperly fedon either table the throw-0E mechanism -is tripped so as to throw the cylinder off impression during` the time such sheet should have been printed and thrown on impression to print properly fed sheets; with a transfer cylindenadapred to take all the sheets from the 'im-pression cylinder, a delivery cylinder adapted to take all the sheets from the transfer cylinder, two receiving tables, and mechanism where'- by alternate sheets may be transferred from the delivery cylinder to different receiving tables.

I 13. In a rotary sheet printing press, a plate cylinder having opposed printing-snraces, an impression cylinder beside the plate cylinder having opposed impression surfaces respectively adapted to eo-aet with` arelated printing' surface on the plate cylinder; two feed tables respectively adapted to deliver sheets to a related impression surface of the impression cylinder; a collecting cylinderv below and to one side of the axis' of the plate cylinder; mechanism for throw ing the impression cylinder on and oil' impression, and devices on each feed table whereby if a sheet is improperly 'fed on either table the throw-oli mechanism is tripped so as to throw the cylinder oil impression during` the time suoli sheet should y have been printed and thrown on impression tables, or whereby the sheets may be col-V lected and directed to one table.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own7 I ailix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

BURT F. UPI-IA M.

lVitnesses Pliner G. SHAW, R. M. Mannen. 

